The Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index gained 0.4% in October to a seasonally adjusted level of 97.4, as two of the four regional sectors improved, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Wednesday.
Nationally, the Federal Reserve Board's industrial production index for manufacturing increased 0.3% in October. Overall manufacturing output in the region gained 5.7% from a year earlier, compared to 3.6% growth in output nationally in that period.
The September report showed a 0.3% increase to 97.0.
The regional steel sector's output jumped 2.2% in the month, following a 0.4% slide in September. Nationally, steel sector output climbed 1.0% in the month. On a year-over-year basis, steel output grew 5.9% in the region while gaining 4.6% in the nation.
The regional resource sector's output rose 0.3% in October, following a 1.3% decline in September. Nationally, resource output was up 0.3% in the month. Compared to October 2012, regional resource output gained 1.7%, while national resource output rose 1.2%. "Production in the regional resource sector's food, wood, paper, and chemical subsectors increased from September to October, while production in its nonmetallic mineral subsector decreased," according to the Fed release.
The regional auto sector's output dipped 0.2% in the month, after a 1.2% rise in September, while national output slipped 0.3%. Nationally, auto sector output gained 5.5% from a year ago while the Midwest auto sector's output grew 8.7% year-over-year, according to the Fed.
The regional machinery sector's output fell 0.4% in the month, following a 1.6% climb in September. Nationally, machinery sector output gained 0.3% in the month. On a year-over-year basis, machinery output rose 4.5% in the region while gaining 4.8% in the nation.
As a result of teh government shutdown, the September and October reports were released together.
